African Union assesses Sudanese refugees

JUBA, South Sudan, May 24 (UPI) -- An African Union subcommittee on refugees, returnees and internationally displaced people was winding up a humanitarian assessment in South Sudan Thursday.

The African Union delegation, which arrived in South Sudan Sunday, was led by Liberian Ambassador to Ethiopia Vivienne Wreh and Macrine Mayanja, a senior political officer from the African Union Commission division of humanitarian affairs, refugees and displaced persons.

"The main objective of the mission will be to meet with government officials and relevant agencies responsible for humanitarian issues, in particular with regards to refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons," the Sudan Tribune quoted officials as saying.

South Sudan United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said in an official statement Wednesday in Juba South Sudan is hosting close to 150,000 refugees spread across its various states. Most refugees are said to be originating from the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Sudan.